


First Impressions

by drainbamage954 (cats_cradle6766)



Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Fluff, Language Barrier, M/M, Travel
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-11-08
Updated: 2012-11-08
Packaged: 2018-09-11 10:54:07
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 12,066
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8976778
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cats_cradle6766/pseuds/drainbamage954
Summary: Jongdae didn't really think anything that exciting would happen to him when he and few friends went to China for vacation.  He may have been a little wrong.





	

“Seriously, I think we’re in the wrong place.”

“Shut up,” Chanyeol says, not really paying attention as he attempts to read the street signs around them. “We’re not lost, I know exactly where we are. I am just not sure where everything else is.”

Jongin rolls his eyes, hands in his pockets with a bored expression. “That’s basically saying ‘I’m lost’ but with stupid logic.” Chanyeol swats him over the head with the map he has been looking at for the past hour as they wandered around. “Remind me why we let Chanyeol have the map?”

“Because Joonmyun got food poisoning and is back at the hotel, making me leader,” Chanyeol says, pushing his glasses up superfluously. He looks up to flash them a ridiculous smile. “You may now address me as ‘Oh Supreme One.”

“Let’s just kill him. It’s China, no one will know,” Jongdae says, looking at his friend in distaste. It’s times like this that he wonders how he ended up calling this haphazard group of people his best friends. Well, Baekhyun he can rationalize. Baekhyun is relatively sensible if you exclude his strange obsession with eyeliner. And Kyungsoo makes more sense than most people give him credit for. 

But as for Chanyeol and Jongin, the only fathomable excuse for them is that either Jongdae is a masochist or they’re there for entertainment. 

“You love me,” Chanyeol says, slapping on what he’s sure Chanyeol thinks is a sappy endearing look and which instead just looks as if his face has suffered from a severe stroke. 

“I tolerate you,” Jongdae says, grinning none the less as he leans over Chanyeol’s shoulder, trying to get a look at the map. “Where the hell are we?”

Chanyeol sucks in his bottom lip for a moment before pointing to a vague spot on the map. “Here? Maybe?” Baekhyun gives him a withering look from beside him and Jongin wails dismally. “Oh come on, I got us here, didn’t I?”

“Yeah, you did a splendid job of getting us fantastically lost,” Baekhyun says, staring accusingly at Chanyeol. “Dude, do you even read Chinese?”

Chanyeol takes a second of looking lost before breaking out into the most guilty grin. 

“Oh Jesus Christ,” Jongin moans as Baekhyun snatches the map away from Chanyeol, swatting him with it a few times for good measure. “We’re lost. In China. Probably going to be mugged and thrown into a ditch to rot with flies.”

“Don’t be so dramatic, child,” Baekhyun chides, opening the map and looking at it. He turns to Chanyeol. “Did you have this upside down?” Chanyeol just continues to grin at him, making the other frown and Jongdae bite back a laugh. 

“And don't worry, dance machine,” Jongdae says, smiling and patting Jongin on the shoulder in what could be considered a reassuring fashion. “If we get into a shady situation, we just have to make Chanyeol laugh and his face will scare everyone away.”

“Hey! I have a beautiful face!” Chanyeol barks, immediately bristling. “Don’t be hatin’. Not everyone can have an Adonis face with a voice to melt panties.”

 _“Please_ tell me those words did not just come out of that hole you call a mouth,” Baekhyun moans, nose still buried in the map as Sehun leans over his shoulder, frowning with his tongue between his teeth. 

They had arrived two days ago, huffing their luggage around the too hot airport, still slightly brain-dead and exhausted from just finishing finals at University. It had been Sehun’s idea for them all to take a group trip to China. And for some ungodly reason they had all listened to the maknae. At first, things had gone smoothly, them arriving at their hotel, settling in with a giant pillow fight and far too many snacks. 

The first day had been relatively good, getting to know Beijing and seeing a few things. Chanyeol, Baekhyun, Jongin, Sehun, and Jongdae all romping around like idiots while Joonmyun and Kyungsoo watched like overbearing parents (Kyungsoo would occasionally join and they dragged Joonmyun into a fountain at one point). Then they had gone out for dinner and an hour later found Joonmyun bent over their hotel toilet retching every meal he’d ever had into the septic system. (“That’s what you get for eating bugs!” Jongin had yelled from the other room.) 

They had spent most of today wandering around basically unsupervised until Chanyeol had decided to adopt the position of leader. (“I’m oldest.” “Fuck that, Baekhyun’s older than you in age and maturity.” “He looks like a woman.” “I’ll kill you in your sleep.”) That had spiraled into getting lost and it was now past seven at night and none of them had eaten since lunch and they had no idea where they were. 

In all honesty though, Jongdae really needed the vacation. He had been taking extra classes at University, trying to complete the requirements for his double majors so he could travel abroad and actually improve his English. That, combined with the increasingly long hours at his part time job (he worked at a small engineering company doing paperwork and occasionally helping on breadboard designs) he barely had time for meals anymore, let alone friends.

So, when Sehun had bounded up to him with Jongin trailing behind him with a sly smirk, he had known something was brewing. They told him they were all going to China. No if’s and’s or but’s, just to get the vacation time from his part time and try not to be too enthusiastic. When he had expressed concern, Sehun had just put a reassuring arm around him and said “C’mon. It’ll be buckets of fun.”

Thinking back, Jongdae should have thought more carefully after hearing the word ‘buckets’ used as a descriptive term. 

“Why don’t we try asking for directions?” Sehun proposes, finally straightening up and looking around at the others, abandoning the map. 

“Oh yes, let’s do the completely obvious thing and ask for directions,” Jongin says, somehow opening his arms and gesturing with as much sarcasm as his voice is saturated with. “You’re a super genius, Sehun. Why didn’t we think of that before. Oh wait, we’re in China and can’t speak Chinese!”

“Can you not be a prick for once?” Baekhyun snaps, glaring at the tanned youth from over the map he’s still clutching. 

“I’m tired and hungry and it’s hot and we’re lost. I’m allowed to be vile,” Jongin retorts, scowling.

“Then what’s your excuse for you daily sass?” Chanyeol interjects, ruffling Jongin’s hair violently, earning him a deadly glare.

“He wakes up,” Kyungsoo deadpans, causing Jongdae to snort.

“So,” Sehun says, his arms swinging at his sides. “Directions? Asking for them? We cool?” He claps his hands together in awkward resemblance to a child and smiles, tongue stuck between his teeth as he looks around idly. “How about we ask them?!”

And without warning, Sehun suddenly bolts from the group with unexpected energy and Jongdae is looking around wildly for the lisping youth, hoping to God they don’t lose him. 

“If we lose Sehun, Joonmyun is going to castrate all of us,” Kyungsoo moans, standing on his toes and looking in the direction the youngest disappeared in. The street is crowded with people and stacked with shops labeled in Chinese characters and neon letters. “Goddamnit!”

It takes a few moments of the five of them looking around frantically for the familiar shock of Sehun’s auburn hair before finally Jongdae spots him. “There!” he shouts and the five of them practically stampede over to their lost child. He looks slightly bemused when they all practically run into him like overprotective parents. 

“There you are!” Sehun chirps and Jongdae just wants to take him by the shoulders and shake him, hoping that somehow engaging in bodily contact will force something past that ridiculous grin. And before any of them can grab him, he’s slipped inside what looks like either a classy as fuck restaurant or a super sleezy night club.

It turns out to be a combo. Jongdae blinks as his eyes adjust to the oddly pleasing gloom of the establishment, stopping somewhere near the doorway as he tries to get his bearings and locate Sehun. He can hear the others filing inside after him and Jongin mumbling something about “clearly not legal” and “human trafficking”. 

“You not going to be sold into prostitution,” a deep voice sounds from far to close for Jongdae to be confortable. He jumps with a slight yelp, whipping to look at the sudden speaker and coming face to face with someone’s chest. Gulping, he looks up and into an amused face and a shock of artistically styled blond hair. The face half smiles at him and he takes a small step backwards. 

Suddenly Sehun’s face appears over the blond’s shoulder and he’s smiling triumphantly. “I found someone who speaks Korean!” He looks far too proud for rationality. “This is Yifan!”

Yifan looks at them expectantly, as if he is waiting for them to suddenly all chorus “Hello, Yifan,” like in all those community help groups. When they all just stare at him (except Chanyeol, who has a strange smile sort of expression), he blinks and raises a hand. “Hi.”

There’s a pause before Chanyeol steps forward extending his hand. “Sup.”

Yifan raises an eyebrow. “So, your friend seems to think you guys need help or something?”

“Um, yeah,” Baekhyun says, stepping forward and somehow igniting movement in the others to get away from the door. “We kinda don’t know where we are and are hungry and tired and need to figure out what to do with ourselves.”

Yifan gives them another half smile and Jongdae, strangely, feels himself trust this freakishly tall blond man. “Well, I can help with all of those things,” he says, grinning and Jongdae half expects him to wink at them suggestively.

“Really? What are you, God?” Jongin drawls, watching Yifan skeptically. 

“Some might venture to think so,” Yifan retorts smoothly, smirk deepening when Jongin’s eyes widen slightly. 

“So, how do you solve all of our problems then, Miracle Man?” Chanyeol asks, his voice somehow even lower as he smiles in a way Jongdae is sure he thinks is endearing at Yifan. 

Yifan looks over to him and blinks. “Does your face always do that?” he asks, staring at Chanyeol.

“What? Look amazing?” Chanyeol offers, wagging an eyebrow. 

“No,” says Yifan. “Look like it’s having a seizure.” Chanyeol visibly crumbles. 

“I like this man!” Jongin declares loudly, his previous air of distrust immediately gone. Replaced by appreciation or affection. Jongdae isn’t sure.

“Anyway, you guys are welcome here. It’s mostly a club but that’s not until later tonight. We do dinner things and have booths you can chill at to rest for a while.” He half smiles at them all again. “And our drinks are ridiculously fantastic.”

“You work here?” Baekhyun asks pleasantly. 

Yifan just smiles. “I own here.” Baekhyun’s mouth forms a small ‘oh’ of understanding while Chanyeol seems to be having a silent battle with himself. “C’mon, I’ll get you guys a booth. You look half dead. Except him.” He gestures to Sehun, who has flitted to his side and is smiling, clearly proud of himself. “He may be on drugs”

“I’ve never been on drugs! Even if I’m super sick!” Sehun chirps and Yifan stares for a moment before shaking his head and leading them all to a booth. 

Jongdae looks around as they weave through small tables and chairs, his eyes taking in the surroundings. As it’s still early, there aren’t too many tables occupied, but the overall set up and feel of the place is a nice one. He’s the last one to arrive at the booth and thus slides into the end seat. Yifan half smiles at him. 

“So, I would offer you guys menu’s, but I figure that’d be pointless, so how about we save everyone some pain and suffering and I’ll just get you guys some of the ‘not scary’ Chinese food,” Yifan says, arms folded causally over his chest as he surveys the group, face unsmiling but not unfriendly. 

They all look at each other. “Uh-“

“Yeah, that sounds perfect,” Kungsoo says, smiling at Yifan and eliminating the possibility of the others all answering in a chaos of voices and skewed opinions and statements. 

“Great,” Yifan says, stepping back from them. “Oh, and if you kids want drinks, just give a wave to Lu Han, the guy at the bar.”

“That’s a guy?” Chanyeol says, ever the suave gentleman.

Yifan, however, just smiles that half smile at him. “Don’t be fooled by his Bambi face. He’s got more evil than a van of demons. I’ll be back with food.”

Jongdae twists in his seat to get a look at the bar and, despite the indirect warning from Chanyeol, is surprised to see the extremely attractive bartender standing there, polishing glasses. He really does have a doll face. 

Baekhyun whistles from his seat where he’s craning to get a look at the bar. “It’s a shame Joonmyun is throwing up his childhood, because he’d be fangirling right about now.”

“Don’t speak ill of the invalid,” Kyungsoo scolds lightly, but he too is staring at the ridiculously attractive bartender. 

“Reckon we can communicate ‘alcohol’ to him with the language barrier?” Chanyeol asks, a mischievous grins spreading over his face. 

“Dude, I thought we decided not to drink tonight,” Jongdae says, shooting Chanyeol a look. 

Chanyeol makes a very strange sound with his mouth and rolls his eyes. “We’re on vacation. Besides Sehun’s only been legal for a few months and barely knows the joys of alcoholism.”

“And we’re destroying that why?” Kyungsoo asks, turning his large eyes on the taller man. They are shining with judgement. 

“Why are we making a thing of this?!” Chanyeol protests, too long arms flying out in his need for constant expression and successfully smacking into Sehun’s face. “Sorry, maknae,” Chanyeol apologizes, grinning sheepishly. “Big limbs, you know.”

“Why do we take you anywhere?” Jongdae fathoms, shaking his head at Chanyeol. 

“Because I’m awesome and you love basking in the glow of my happy virus,” Chanyeol says, eyes lopsided as he grins.

Jongin snorts. “You’re a virus alright. You infect everyone you come in contact with.” Chanyeol smiles at him. “With stupidity.” Chanyeol’s face falls.

“Kill him now, ask questions later,” Chanyeol deadpans at the grinning tan boy. 

“Please refrain from killing people in my establishment,” Yifan says, walking back up to them with another man trailing behind him, carrying a few plates of food each. He puts down the plates he is carrying on the table and straightens, hands lightly resting on his hips as the other man lays out his dishes. “You can kill people once you leave but otherwise I’ll be held accountable.”

“And no one wants to be held accountable,” Baekhyun adds, eyeing the food hungrily. 

“Nope,” Yifan says. “Enjoy the food. This place should pick up in about an hour or two. You should stick around.” He gives a small side smile before sauntering off, shoulders set easily. 

“Chanyeol, your awkward is showing,” Baekhyun says, tossing a rolled up napkin at the other as he watches the owner retreat. 

“Baekhyun, your eyeliner makes you look like a woman,” Chanyeol retorts, finally dragging his eyes back to the table. Baekhyun glares murder at him. _“Food!”_ he yells at unacceptable volumes and, as if Chanyeol is the cue, all of them begin attacking the food. It’s delicious and filling and exactly what all of them need. Jongin seems to be moaning in pleasure, shoveling food into his mouth with fervor. Kyungsoo is watching him with a mixture between disgust and amusement. 

After a few minutes, they’re slowing down and conversation starts again. 

“Anyone want drinks?” Chanyeol asks, grinning at them happily. 

“Is alcohol really something you should consider putting into your body?” Kyungsoo asks, looking over at Chanyeol with raised eyebrows and his large eyes skeptical.

“We’re on vacation,” Chanyeol says, grinning. “Besides, Jongdae wants a drink, don’t you, Jongdae?” He shoots a quick smile at Jongdae who has a mouth full of food. “Awesome, I thought so. So, what are people having?”

“Chanyeol-“ Kyungsoo begins again, but Chanyeol’s already standing, clapping his hands together. 

“Okay, cool, I’ll just get random things and hope they taste good!” Chanyeol says and bounds off towards the bar. 

_“Chanyeol!”_ Kyungsoo hollers after him but it’s useless. The taller has already thrown himself halfway across the room. 

Jongdae, swallowing thickly and clearing his mouth of food, sighs, putting down his chopsticks. “I’ll go make sure he doesn’t hurt himself. Or others. Any drink requests?”  
Jongin gives him a withering look. “You’ve been friends with us how long and you don’t know our drinks?” he says, mouth full of noodles. 

“Chew. Swallow. Then speak,” Kyungsoo chides, cuffing him upside the head. 

“Yes, mother,” Jongin drawls, rolling his eyes and shoving his shoulder into the Kyungsoo as Jongdae just shakes his head, heading off towards the bar. 

Jongdae finds Chanyeol leaning against the bar and chatting with the pretty bartender. Lu Han? He elbows the tall boy in the ribs to get his attention. Chanyeol jumps but, upon seeing him, grins widely. “Hey, I found another one that speaks Korean.”

Lu Han snorts as he mixes drinks. “You sound like your describing zoo animals,” he says, looking up at Jongdae and flashing him a beautiful smile. “Do you know your friends drink choices better than this kid who seems to think that ‘whatever shots’ is a universal favorite?”

Jongdae gives Chanyeol a painful look before turning to Lu Han. “Yeah, I actually pay attention to them. It’ll be two rum and cokes, one sex on the beach, one tequila sunrise, a margarita, and whatever this idiot wants.”

“Screaming orgasm,” Chanyeol says, grinning in a way that’s entirely uncomfortable. Jongdae expects Lu Han to frown at him and is surprised when the beautiful man smirks back and leans over the counter to Chanyeol, smiling in a way that is way too sexual for his adorable face. 

“As you wish, boys,” Lu Han says, winking at them before busying himself at the bar. “Coming right up.” He makes a vague hand gesture to one of the other workers at the bar and a dark haired boy scoots over and Jongdae has to do a double take. 

“Holy shit!” Chanyeol says, looking at the new bartender with wide eyes. “You let serial killers work here?”

Lu Han’s face twitches. “He’s not a serial killer, he’s Tao, a waiter and bartender in training,” he says, pulling various bottles of alcohol to mix drinks he barely even looks at, measuring with precision only years of experience can achieve. “And he cries at The Lion King.”

Jongdae, looking at the other man, can hardly see him crying at Disney movies. He also can’t seem to look away. His face is like a horrible car accident you can’t stop looking at, except instead of bloody and terrible it’s just goddamn mesmerizing. Lu Han says something to Tao and suddenly shuffles off with a brief “be back,” to Jongdae and Chanyeol. 

“Think he’s poisoning those drinks?” Chanyeol ponders, watching as Tao mixes drinks, occasionally looking up at them curiously. Tao says something in Mandarin and Chanyeol just looks at Jongdae. 

Jongdae frowns at him. “You know I don’t speak Mandarin,” he says to Chanyeol’s owlish expression. “I barely passed the English final last year.”

“Yeah, well, English is ridiculous,” Chanyeol says, looking back at Tao, who is watching them curiously. “It's the bastard child between Latin, German, and adopted by Celtic. You try and logic it out.”

“Your rare moments of insight are always astounding,” Jongdae says, shaking his head and turning to look at Tao and smiling at him. The bartender seems shocked for a moment. His dark eyes widening slightly, the shadows under them accenting the movement, before his mouth shifts and he’s smiling and every single thing about his face changes and Jongdae feels himself forget what air is for a moment. 

“Wow!” Jongdae hears Chanyeol’s voice, but it seems incredibly far away, and in a box, inside of a train going in the opposite direction. Right how he’s a little too preoccupied with how Tao’s face went from looking like a possible homicidal rampage poster boy into possibly the most attractive and cute thing Jongdae has seen in his life. And that includes that one time he saw baby rabbits in the pet store and his mother had to drag him away and he refused to eat for two days. 

“Well, that was unexpected,” Chanyeol says, and Jongdae would kick him if he hadn’t lost control of his motor functions. 

Tao looks slightly confused, though still smiling as he finishes making their drinks. Watching them, he places the drinks on the counter, arranging them for Jongdae and Chanyeol to take back to their table. Jongdae manages to shake himself out of his state of coma and Chanyeol picks up a few of the drinks. “Do we pay now or later?” he asks and suddenly Jongdae is at a loss.

“Uuh,” Jongdae says, ever the eloquent one. He looks back at Tao who is watching them expectantly, a smile lingering faintly around his mouth. “Pay now or later?” he asks tentatively. 

Tao looks at him, brows creased in slight confusion. Jongdae tries again, and Tao just continues to look perplexed. As Jongdae is seriously considering charades, Tao suddenly turns and walks away briskly . 

“Does that mean they’re free?” Chanyeol asks, raising an eyebrow at Jongdae. Jongdae just frowns at him. 

“Are you going to pay for them if they’re not?” Jongdae asks, and Chanyeol laughs.

“You know I’m always broke,” Chanyeol says, eyes crinkling asymmetrically. 

“You are the worst friend ever,” Jongdae grumbles. 

And then Tao is back, eyes shining like an eager puppy as he looks directly at Jongdae and says “How would you like to be fucked?”

There is a moment where Jongdae and Chanyeol just stare, Jongdae’s jaw probably lost somewhere on the floor as he just looks at Tao in shock. “What?” he manages to gasp out. Even Chanyeol seems to have been stunned into silence, something extremely rare and to be cherished. 

Tao frowns, his lips pouting slightly as he looks at Jongdae. Hard. He clears his throat and leans a little bit closer to him. “How would you like to be fucked?” he repeats, a little slower and more enunciated than before, his accent seeping in between the words and sending shivers down Jongdae’s skin. 

Jongdae swallows the rock lodged in his throat, feeling his face burn with the passion of a thousand suns. “Uuuhhhh,” is all he can manage. He can see Chanyeol in his peripheral vision with the biggest shit eating grin on his face.  
Tao seems to understand something is wrong with what he is saying so he clears his throat, making Jongdae suddenly even more apprehensive and aware of how much he is now leaning over the counter. He seems to think again before he looks very purposefully at Jongdae and says, “I’d like you screaming my name later?”

Jongdae, if possible, feels himself become even more red and shrinks back a little bit away from the bar. Tao seems to be getting a little desperate. “I’d like you screaming my name later? Yes?”

Chanyeol looks like someone just told him he had unlimited access to every porn site in the world. 

“I think Serial Killer is trying to tell you something,” Chanyeol tells Jongdae. Jongdae wishes him to burn in the most fiery depths of hell after he dies a horrible painful probably monkey vomit green death. Chanyeol wags his eyebrows in the most horribly suggestive way. 

Tao seems to understand something is seriously wrong. He straightens up, looks between Jongdae and Chanyeol and says something in Mandarin that clearly neither of the boys comprehend. He tries again before pausing and thinking, hard. He takes a quick breath and then says, very clearly, “I want to be on you?” looking pleadingly at Jongdae.

And suddenly Chanyeol is laughing and sounds like a dying cow and is clutching onto the bar counter for support and Tao looks extremely lost and Jongdae is trying to figure out what happened to reality. And then Lu Han is wandering over and Tao looks at him as if he’s an angel and speaking rapidly in Mandarin and Lu Han is laughing hysterically and ruffling Tao’s hair. He says something in Mandarin and Tao looks horrified before his expression turns dark and his cheeks turn maroon and he moves so fast it’s like he just disappears on the spot.

Lu Han is still chuckling slightly as he turns to Jongdae and Chanyeol (who is still bleating out laughter under the counter). “Sorry, I taught him some Korean a while ago I never thought he’d remember, let alone use.”

“So, you’re saying you taught him completely incorrect Korean?” Jongdae clarifies. “What, for kicks or something? Or were you just trying to give people heart attacks?”

Lu Han smiles. “Pretty much all of the above,” he says smoothly, glancing over their drinks. “Do you guys want to pay now or just settle up later?”

Jongdae feels like socking this doll faced asshole in the mouth for nearly giving him a heart attack. “Later,” he says gruffly, grabbing the sex on the beach and taking a particularly large gulp. “I know I’ll probably need another one of these damn things to calm down after that episode.”

Lu Han just smiles at him as he gathers up the rest of the drinks. “Hey, from where I was watching, you seemed to be enjoying it a little, Orange Blossom.”

Jongdae stares at him while Chanyeol, having just recovered, dissolves all over again. “Did you just call me Orange blossom?”

Lu Han winks at him, beautiful mask deceptive of the evil shining in his eyes. “You’re face is pretty as a flower, sweet heart. Plus, I think the name suits you.” He gives a little wave. “Enjoy those,” he says, nodding to the drinks. “They’re made with Panda-love.” 

As Jongdae sits back down at the table and passes out the drinks he can’t quite tell if he hates Lu Han or is mildly appreciative of how much evil can fit into such a beautiful mask. 

“You got me rum and coke?” Jongin sneers, looking offended at his drink. “Whatever happened to knowing our favorite drinks?”

Jongdae just rolls his eyes at him, unconsciously glancing back at the bar where Tao is making agitated arm motions at Lu Han, who is grinning like a maniac. “You complain about pretty much every other drink we give you,” Jongdae tells the younger. “Except Appletini’s, but I don’t think those count.”

“Shut your face, Appletini’s are amazing,” Jongin says, resentfully taking a large sip of his drink. 

“What took you guys so long, anyway?” Kyungsoo asks, accepting his margarita with quiet thanks. “We were getting ready to come and see if you had lost mobile function.”

“Oh, no, nothing like that,” Chanyeol says, grinning around his screaming orgasm. “Just the deadly looking bartender asking Jongdae how he wants to be fucked.”

 _‘What?”_ pretty much everyone at the table says simultaneously at varying volumes and degrees of shock. Chanyeol grins like Christmas. Jongdae wants to kill him. Painfully.

“I want to know what happened. Now,” Jongin says, looking far more interested than Jongdae is comfortable with. 

“There was clearly a language barrier and Lu Han, the doll faced devil, had taught him incorrect Korean, resulting in some really suggesting stuff coming out of that man’s mouth,” Jongdae says, trying to be as vague and uninteresting as possible.

Chanyeol is leering at him. “You loved it.”

“It was mildly traumatizing,” Jongdae says, sinking down further into his seat, and running a hand through his hair. 

“If my ‘mildly’ you mean ‘absolutely’ and if by ‘traumatizing’ you mean ‘hysterical’, then I completely agree with you,” Chanyeol says, putting his fingers behind his ears and wiggling his glasses on his face. 

“You look so stupid when you do that,” Baekhyun tells him. 

“I’m endearing and you love me,” Chanyeol shoots back. 

“Never mind, you are just stupid,” Baekhyun sighs, turning back to Jongdae. “Please tell me you at least responded in some sort of reasonable fashion.”

“Like saying ‘suck my dick’,” Jongin supplied, adopting his own leer and seemingly over-pleased with himself. 

“Did someone extremely fat sit on your head when you were an infant or have you always been this deranged?” Baekhyun snaps, staring at Jongin with slight disgust. Jongin shrugs, still leering at Jongdae. 

Jongdae just frowns at the younger. “No, I did not.”

Chanyeol guffaws. “No, he just looked like a dying fish, gaping and wide eyed.”

“Shut up, you were hunched under the counter imitating dying livestock,” Jongdae snaps at him, feeling his face heat up. 

“Is he the one who looks like a serial killer ninja?” Sehun asks, craning his neck to get a look at the bar. Jongdae silently wonders if the world hates him as everyone at the table, save himself and Chanyeol, turn in their seat in some fashion to get a look at the bar. 

“Dude, you had a murderer hit on you?” Jongin asks, practically standing up as he looks at the bar. “That’s badass.” He pouts at Jongdae. “Why can’t I have murderers hit on me?”

“Jongin,” Baekhyun says, looking at the younger from over his tequila sunrise. “Look at your life, look at your choices. Think before you speak.” Jongin just sticks out his tongue at him before taking another long sip from his drink.

“He’s attractive for a serial killer,” Kyungsoo comments, eyes still trained on the bar. “I mean, the other guy is still ridiculously beautiful, but if you get around the fact that he looks capable of third degree murder, he’s pretty hot.”

“You should see him smile,” Chanyeol says, eyes glinting as he looks at Jongdae sideways. “His whole face changes and he’s scary attractive.” He pauses, eyes widening slightly. “Hey! I made a pun!”

“Have a cookie,” Baekhyun says, finally turning from the bar to look at Jongdae. “So, he asked you how you wanted to be fucked, huh?”

Jongdae felt an involuntary flush creep up his neck and tickle his ears. “He didn’t know what he was saying,” he defends, stirring his drink with a straw. 

Baekhyun tilts his head to the side, looking at Jongdae carefully. “Are you sure?” he asks, eyes flitting between Jongdae and the corner of the bar he can see. Jongdae stares hard at his drink. “Because he keeps looking over here, and I’m entirely positive it’s not because of Chanyeol’s animal magnetism.”

“No one can resist it,” Chanyeol says.

“You keep telling yourself that,” Kyungsoo says, in the middle of some sort of thumb war with Jongin. 

“I do, every day,” Chanyeol says, leering at all of them.

Jongdae can't help himself. He glances over his shoulder at the bar just in time to see Tao looking at him, flush, grin like an idiot, and do a jerky little hand motion most people would consider a wave.

Jongdae doesn’t even bother to try to keep the blush off his face as his mouth turns up in a return grin. Baekhyun snorts next to him. 

“You’re right, his face does get better,” Jongin says, and Jongdae, turning back to the table, throws his used napkin at the boy. “Dude, I’m complimenting your taste.”

“My taste?” Jongdae repeats, raising his eyebrows.

“Jongdae,” Baekhyun says, putting his arm around the younger and squeezing his shoulder slightly. “It’s been ages since we’ve seen you express interest in something that isn’t sandwich boards or whatever Electrical Engineer majors are interested in.”

“Robots,” Sehun says, nodding to himself and smiling at air. 

“My point is,” Baekhyun says, ignoring Sehun’s comment. “You haven’t had a relationship, date, or even showed attraction to anyone since junior year of high school.”

“That’s not true!” Jongdae protests, frowning at Baekhyun. He turns to look at the table and is met with the eyes of all of his friends, sharing the same look as Baekhyun. He pauses, thinking for a moment. “Am I really that boring?”

Jongin leans over the table slightly. “If you were boring, we wouldn’t hang out with you, Jongdae.”

“Did you just say something nice?” Jongdae asks, staring at Jongin. 

“Miracles happen,” Jongin shrugs. “For example, you being interested in someone, and them showing interest back.”

“What?” Jongdae says, eyes widening slightly. 

Jongin says nothing but just smiles at something behind Jongdae. Whipping his head around, Jongdae is met with Tao’s face, smiling at him nervously, with a drink two inches from his nose. He feels his eyes widen impossibly as they fight over looking at Tao and the drink invading his personal space. “Uuuhhh,” comes out of his mouth. Behind him, he hears Sehun snuffle in laughter. 

Tao continues to smile, taking the drink slightly from Jongdae’s face so he can at least focus on it. “Chen,” he says, soft voice washing over the other boy’s ears pleasantly. 

Jongdae frowns, looking at Tao in confusion. “Chen?”

Tao grins wider, his eyes getting smaller as his face lights up. “Chen!” he repeats, holding out the drink. At the continued puzzled expression on Jongdae’s face, he seems to realize something isn’t working. He seems to struggle mentally for a moment, sifting through words silently before he turns back to Jongdae with, if possible, even more enthusiasm. 

“Orange!” 

Jongdae stares. “Orange?” Tao nods at him vigorously, tilting the offered glass slightly closer to him. 

“Chen for Chen. Orange for Orange.”

And then Jongdae remembers. 

“Did you just call me Orange Blossom?”

“You’re face is pretty as a flower, sweet heart. Plus, I think the name suits you.” 

He closes his eyes for a second before opening them, looking up at Tao, and hesitantly pointing to himself. “Chen?” Tao nods. “Orange?” Tao nods again. He looks at the drink and, glancing back up at Tao, points to it. “Orange too?” 

Tao beams and Jongdae, feeling the eyes of everyone at the table on him along with the delighted gaze of Tao, reaches forward and accepts the drink. Tao just continues to smile at him while Jongdae feels like his face is a traffic light and can’t help but grin back. 

“Uh… thanks,” Jongdae says and Baekhyun nudges him hard in the side. Tao makes a little bow.

“Uh,” Tao says, beginning to gesture faintly with his hands. “Before. Um. Bad… speak?” He mimes the words as he says them, pausing with raised eyebrows and slightly wide eyes on Jongdae to see if he understands. Jongdae nods dumbly. “Chen,” he jabs a finger at the drink. “Sorry Chen!” he finishes with a flourish, grinning widely at Jongdae. Jongdae feels slightly immobile as Tao seems to become slightly uncomfortable, dragging his lower lip between his teeth and worrying it, a slight laugh gurgling from him. 

“Say something!” Baekhyun hisses from behind him as he feels Kyungsoo kick him painfully under the table.

Jongdae, his heart beating rapidly somewhere around his throat, tries to swallow and smile back at Tao. He lifts the drink. “For me?” Tao nods and does an awkward little bow, never taking his eyes off of Jongdae. “For… before?” Tao nods again and gestures to the drink, laughing nervously. 

“Enjoy,” Tao says, and with one last gleaming smile, turns and vanishes back to the bar and a heavily smirking Lu Han. 

“Okay, that was revoltingly vomit inducing adorable,” Jongin says as Jongdae turns back to the table, drink still held dumbly in his hand. “Trust you to have the cutest interactions with prospective one night stands in the history of courtship.”

“Usually, I’d sock Jongin for a comment like that,” Kyungsoo says, cocking his head. “But for once he has a point. That was like watching a Disney cartoon.”

“Thank you for your constructive comments,” Jongdae says dryly, swallowing and looking back at the drink.

“Okay, here’s what you’re going to do,” Baekhyun says, taking Jongdae by the face and wrenching him to look at him. “First, you’re going to finish that,” he points to Jongdae’s half finished sex on the beach. “Now. And then you’re going to drink whatever serial killer lover made you and go try to talk to him.”

“And I’m doing this why?” Jongdae asks, fiddling with his two drinks in agitation. “That would basically be getting me near plastered before trying to talk to someone and, oh yeah, I don’t speak Mandarin!”

 _“One shot!”_ Chanyeol yells and grabs Jongdae’s drink, throwing the straw somewhere, and shoves the drink into Jongdae’s mouth. Jongdae struggles for a moment, trying to push the drink away. _“Bacon, help!”_ Chanyeol yells and Baekhyun, turned traitor, grabs Jongdae, pinches his nose, and tilts his head back. 

Oh God, Jongdae thinks as Chanyeol begins to pour the drink into his mouth. I’m being drowned. 

“It’s for your own good, Chen!” Jongin calls to him and Jongdae can hear the smirk in his voice. “Just drink and don’t fight them. If you do, it’ll be worse.” And for a rare moment, Jongdae actually listens to Jongin and complies with Chanyeol’s grinning face and attempts to swallow the rest of his drink as quickly as possible. 

The sweet yet liquor-tainted drink is cold as it spills down Jongdae’s throat and he closes his eyes as he finishes, feeling it pool in his stomach. “I don’t know if I hate or love you freaks.”

“Love, true love,” Chanyeol warbles. “Love is what brings us together...”

 _“Today!”_ Jongin yells, finishing for Chanyeol and grinning like the idiot he is.

“It’s all we need,” Sehun chirps and smiles at all of them.

Baekhyun, satisfied with shoving alcohol into Jongdae’s system, downs his own drink and smiles at him. “Now, drink your ChenChen drink. I want more alcohol.”

Jongdae stares at him. “And you’re incapable of getting it yourself…?”

Baekhyun shoots him a look. “You’re sitting in the booth exit and I’m giving you more opportunity to talk to Panda face serial killer.”

“I’m enjoying this,” Jongin says. “Keep this going. This is fun.”

Jongdae sighs and, with a glance back at the bar, pulls the drink Tao had gifted him closer to himself and takes a sip. It’s sweet and surprisingly delicious and, as to be expected, carries the taste of oranges. It’s a good drink and Jongdae finds that he really likes it, smiling before he can stop himself. 

“Stop it, you’re nauseating,” Jongin says, though he’s grinning. “Who wants to bet on how long it will take for the two of them to start hitting it off?”

“Technically, aren’t they already doing so?” Chanyeol asks, twisting to look at Jongin. 

Jongin waves a hand about flippantly. “I mean really hitting it off, not acting like middle school girls,” he clarifies and Sehun starts to laugh. 

The next ten minutes are spent with the table taking bets, picking at the remainder of the food and going off on random tangents. All the while, Jongdae can’t seem to keep himself from glancing back at the bar, eyes instantly seeking out the dark figure of Tao as he flits about the bar with Lu Han. At one point, Lu Han catches him looking and flashes a smirk at him. 

_“Okay!”_ Chanyeol nearly screams at him, thrusting his empty glass into Jongdae’s face. “You finished your orange, Orange! Now intoxicate the rest of us and go do more than sneak super obvious looks at sexy legs over there.”

“Why do we give Chanyeol alcohol again?” Baekhyun asks, his unfocused eyes on Kyungsoo. 

Kyunsoo shrugs in return. “We let Jongin drink, so I guess it’s default.” He turns to Jongdae. “Why are you still here?” Jongdae makes to open his mouth to reply, though he has no idea with what, but Kyungsoo cuts him off. “Go. Flirt. I’m kicking you out of the nest.”

“Why is it you insist on speaking and acting like you’re our mother?” Jongin demands, turning to Kyungsoo and poking him in the face. 

“Because someone has to,” Kyungsoo replies calmly and pinches Jongin’s nose, earning a scowl and scrunchy face in return.

Jongdae hesitates for a brief moment, half standing in his seat, before Baekhyun is pushing at his hips, forcing him out of the seat. “Mix up the drinks,” he tells Jongdae as the other stumbles out of the booth, standing up making him feel all of the blood in his body just a little more acutely. He nods dazedly, and turns to walk to the bar. “And take your time!” Baekhyun adds in a holler.

It isn’t until Jongdae is actually at the bar, feeling self-conscious and like he has too many limbs, that he realizes he has no idea what he’s going to say. Tao notices him standing near the edge of the bar and smiles at him and Jongdae can feel his stomach tingle oddly as a slight warm feeling crawls up his fingers. He smiles back for lack of anything better to do. 

They stay like that for a few seconds, Jongdae smiling because it’s all he knows how to do at the moment and Tao can’t really speak more than seven correct words in Korean. 

“Oh, for the love of-“ Lu Han says, stopping as he walks past them, and putting his hands on his hips. “Are you going to order something or just make googly eyes at my Panda all night?”

Jongdae starts slightly. “Your panda?” he repeats, feeling his intestines for the first time. 

Lu Han just rolls his eyes. “What do you want? I’ll fix them, pull Yifan out from doing… whatever it is Yifan does when he’s not lording around, and you can have Tao so you two can flap your hands at each other, deal?”

Jongdae just stares at Lu Han’s flawless face for a second before shaking himself slightly, trying not to look at the amused expression on Tao’s face. “Sure, the table will have, uh, a margarita, tequila sunrise, screw driver, mojito, and a long island ice tea.”

Lu Han nods before suddenly smiling at him. “What will you be having, Blossom Boy?” Jongdae chokes on his air and his eyes flit involuntarily to Tao, making Lu Han bark out a laugh and turn to Tao. He says something in rapid Mandarin, and the other nods, ghost of a smile on his face, before he turns to Jongdae and winks. “Now you just sit there,” Lu Han gestures to a fancy barstool, “while Zitao makes you something and then you two can go off so I don't have to watch idiocy being born.”

Jongdae, feeling there isn’t much else he can do at the moment, slides into an open seat near where the two bartenders are flitting about, hands moving quickly and grabbing drink glasses and alcohol. Lu Han finishes two quickly and then shuffles off, presumably to get Yifan. Tao looks up at Jongdae as he continues to make drinks, smiling as he does so. Considering Jongdae can speak Mandarin about as well as he can fly, he just smiles back and watches as the other’s hands move about smoothly and swiftly, slightly mesmerized by the process. 

After a few moments, Tao pauses, placing a few drinks on the counter and looks at Jongdae. “Chen drink,” he says, watching Jongdae carefully. “Good?”

It takes a skip of a beat for Jongdae to understand what he’s talking about and he smiles widely, nodding at Tao. “Very good,” he says, going as far as to flash a thumbs up at the other. 

Tao grins widely and nods. “Chen for Chen,” he says, resting his hands on the counter gently and leaning forward slightly. 

There was nothing funny about what Tao said, but Jongdae finds a laugh bubbling out of his mouth anyway. He blames it on nerves. “Orange for Orange,” he says, enjoying the warmth that seems to radiate from Tao’s smile. 

“Okay, go,” Lu Han says, shocking Jongdae slightly with his sudden return. “Flap your hands or something, just stop polluting the air around me with your teenage romance.” Jongdae sees Yifan walk around the bar.

“So, you met our Panda,” Yifan says, slinging an arm around Tao’s shoulders and quirking his mouth. “Play nice.” He tells Tao something that Jongdae can’t understand and Tao nods happily, smiling at his boss. Yifan laughs and Tao flashes him the peace sign, his fingers pressed against his face in a ridiculous but endearing fashion.

And then Tao is walking from behind the bar and towards Jongdae and suddenly Jongdae realizes he is now in for the most awkward conversation of his life. Because it isn’t until now that he fully realizes that he’s about to have his first conversation in which the majority of communication will be via hand gestures.

Tao, smiling, grabs his wrist gently and drags him away from the bar to one of the nearby small tables. Tao’s hand is warm on his skin and Jongdae smiles softly. Baekhyun is right. It has been ages since he’s had any sort of romantic interaction with anyone. And it’s, well, nice. 

Tao sits them down at the table and his eyes seem to sparkle as Jongdae sits across from him. In the corner of his mind, Jongdae admires how well this place is laid out. The tables are perfectly sized for two people to have a conversation while allowing another person if absolutely necessary. Yifan gets props. 

“Chen,” Tao says and then frowns, seeming to realize he doesn’t know Korean. He pauses for a moment before gesturing to himself. “Zitao. Here.” He makes very exaggerated hand motions to the area around them, with special emphasis on the bar. “Chen? Do?”

Jongdae has about five different ideas about what Tao may be asking him but goes for the first one. “Job?” Tao just looks at him, arms lying casually on the table. “Uh.” Jongdae points at himself. “Student.” Tao just furrows his eyebrows slightly. “University?” Jongdae tries and Tao’s head cocks at a slight angle. “College? Um. School?”

Tao blinks, and then opens his mouth letting out a cry of victory. “AH!” And Jongdae feels as if bands are being released from around his ribcage. And then Tao says something in Mandarin and Jongdae feels moronic. Tao frowns and then tries again, this time saying something that sounds very vaguely like ‘college’ and Jongdae figures that’s close enough and nods. 

They smile at each other for a moment and Jongdae thinks that maybe this wont be so hard. He leans forward slightly and tries to think of how to ask things. “What do you like?” he asks for lack of anything better. Tao frowns slightly. “Ah. What?” he gestures with the universal ‘question’ gesture of putting both hands up, palm facing up and shoulders awkward. Tao nods. “You,” he points to Tao, who nods again. “Like?” he, feeling a slight blush, holds his hands to form a heart in front of him. 

Tao smiles in understanding and giggles slightly. He leans back and points to Jongdae with his fingers in imitation of pistols and says, “Chen” winking and both of them burst into laughter, Jongdae feeling his stomach flutter and thoroughly enjoying the feeling. Tao quiets after a moment and then gestures to himself. “Wushu,” he says and at Jongdae’s slightly confused expression, makes a few hand gestures that mean absolutely nothing. 

Tao frowns and stops, then seems to get an idea and stands, Jongdae’s eyes widening slightly in surprise as the other looks at him, says “wushu” and then suddenly everything about him changes as he goes through what is clearly a martial arts routine. It’s perfect and precise and the way his body moves and tightens is hypnotizing and Jongdae can’t get over how absolutely beautiful he is.

Tao finishes, face slightly flushed, with a smile at Jongdae before he sits back down. “Wushu,” he repeats and Jongdae nods, grinning back and clapping lightly. 

“Amazing,” Jongdae says, giving two thumbs up and nodding. Tao may not understand ‘amazing’ but he certainly gets the message. He grins back at Jongdae.

“Chen like what?” Tao asks, mimicking Jongdae’s previous gestures.

Jongdae thinks for a moment. He likes a lot of things. Cats. Piano. Computers. Music. He looks up at Tao. “Singing,” he says, wondering if he will also have to translate for the other. 

Tao cocks his head slightly to the side at him. “Singing?” he repeats, looking at Jongdae expectantly. Jongdae nods and Tao shakes his head at him. 

“Um,” Jongdae says, feeling a little awkward at the idea of bursting into song. In front of Tao. In the middle of a restaurant-club-bar-thing. In China. “Sing?” he tries, and Tao just looks at him. He makes a hand gesture of things flying out of his mouth into the air and Tao snorts a laugh. “Sing!?” Jongdae says, feeling desperate. 

“Sing?” Tao repeats and Jongdae sighs. He closes his eyes and thinks for a moment. 

_I lost my mind, the moment I saw you_  
Except you, everything get in slow motion  
Tell me if this is love.  
Sharing and learning countless emotions everyday wit you  
Fighting, crying, and hugging  
Tell me, if this is love. 

Jongdae opens his eyes and looks up at Tao, feeling his cheeks burning slightly. Tao is sitting across from him, palms lightly resting on the table, eyes widened and mouth hanging open just enough for Jongdae to see a glimpse of his teeth. He fidgets slightly and clears his throat, wishing he hadn’t opened his mouth at all.

“Wow,” Tao breathes and Jongdae’s stomach explodes. Then Tao is practically glowing as he stares at Jongdae. “Wow. Wow. Big big big wow.” He points at Jongdae. “Good” and Jongdae can hear all of the words that are lost in translation from the softness of Tao’s voice.

There is a moment where the two of them just look at each other and Jongdae feels uncomfortable and deliciously more comfortable than he’s ever been in his entire life and Tao’s hands twitch slightly on the table and Jongdae wonders if things like this really happen in real life. And then suddenly Yifan is there, nudging into their wonderful little bubble and saying something to Tao that has the other’s face suddenly falling and then smiling and he’s getting up and Jongdae feels inexplicably cold. 

Yifan gives him a slightly apologetic look. “Sorry, we’re getting busy and Lu Han needs him. I am needed else where and apparently can never get measurements correct,” he says to Jongdae.

Jongdae nods to him, standing up himself. “Yeah, no worries,” he says, smiling at Yifan. “You guys are working. I completely get it.”

“Anyway,” Yifan says, eyes glinting. “I’m sure he’ll find you later when things get more lively.” Jongdae raises his eyebrows in question but Yifan just smirks. “Go to your friends. They ordered you more alcohol.”

Jongdae watches for a moment as Yifan wanders over to the entrance, greeting and nodding to people as he passes them. It had, indeed, begun to fill up since he had sat down with Tao. There were quite a few more people all milling about and almost every table and booth was full, not to mention the bar. 

With a small look over to the bar, Jongdae walks back over to his friends, wondering if that was really something he wanted to do at the moment. He highly doubts that as, upon arrival, he is met immediately with the stupidly grinning face of Chanyeol and Baekhyun sprawling half way out of the booth. He notices faintly that the food plates are gone and have been replaced by far to many glasses than is probably wise. 

_“Jongdae!”_

Or sane. 

“Move over,” Jongdae says, trying to shove Baekhyun out of his seat as the other man begins to laugh ridiculously loudly. He gives up negotiation and just starts trying to shove Baekhyun back so he can sit down.

“How was your speed date?” Kyungsoo asks, grinning at him as Jongin smiles widely, head nestled on his shoulder. 

“My what?” Jongdae asks, succeeding somewhat in shoving Baekhyun enough to sit down. 

“Your speed date,” Sehun says, half lying on the table. “That’s what we decided to call it.”

“Why?”

“Because it lasted about five minutes and the two of you managed to get through all the basics,” Chanyeol says, tossing shredded straw wrappers into Baekhyun’s hair with surprisingly good aim. 

“You guys seriously just sat here and watched?” Jongdae asks, feeling embarrassed for himself and all of his friends. “Don’t you do what normal people do and talk?”

“What ever gave you the idea we’re normal?” Jongin asks, voice exaggeratedly affronted. “It’s like you don't even know us.

“Besides, that was the most productive five minute date I’ve ever seen in my life,” Baekhyun says as Jongdae finally manages to shove enough space for himself to sit down. “There was lots of flailing with hands, some martial arts, and even serenading. You two managed to do, like, four dates in the time it takes a normal person to use the toilet.” 

Jongdae just stares at Baekhyun as the other grins manically. “How many more drinks did you guys order while I was away?”

“Two more rounds,” Jongin says, clearly pleased. “It was fun.”

“You’re all alcoholics,” Jongdae says, shaking his head slightly. 

“We got some for you too!” Baekhyun says, arm flashing out and grabbing what seems to be an untouched drink from a mess of half empty glasses. “Here, Yifan made it himself. Said it was his special secret drink.”

“Chanyeol pouted until he found out Yifan made him one too,” Sehun supplies, watching Chanyeol fiddle with his bangs and mumble to himself. 

“So what’s in it?” Jongdae asks, giving the drink a curious look. It’s dark red and looks both inviting and deadly. 

“No idea,” Baekhyun shrugs. “But Jongin calls it the drink of death.”

“Try it and you’ll see why,” Jongin says, nodding towards the drink. 

Tentatively, Jongdae takes a sip. It’s hard to place the exact flavors but it has definitely hints of cherries and a cooling aspect of mint. What’s even more surprising is he can barely taste alcohol. However, he’s pretty sure it’s there from the way his throat feels raw as the drink passes down. “Holy hell,” he says, looking at the drink. “That’s ridiculous.”

“It’s also apparently the only drink he can make without messing it up,” Baekhyun says, still smiling as he takes the drink from Jongdae and takes a sip.

“And his other drinks certainly had something funky about them,” Sehun says, giving a sort of confirmation nod to himself as he speaks. “I supposedly got a gin and tonic that definitely had traces of raspberry.” He pauses. “I don’t even know how that’s possible.”

“Point is, now you’re back and we’re going to tease you incessantly so drink up and stop looking so stupidly happy about life,” Jongin says, flapping his hand at Jongdae and practically lying on top of Kyungsoo.

“Why are you on top of me?” Kyungsoo asks exasperatedly, trying to turn and look at Jongin. “Get off.”

“No!” Jongin protests, reaching and wrapping his arms around Kyungsoo as the other struggles to push the younger off of himself. “I don’t want to!”

“When does this place turn into a club?” Sehun asks, looking around. “I’m tired of sitting.”

“That’s right!” Baekhyun says, suddenly bolting up in his seat. “This place is also a club… thing! We don’t even have to leave to go out again!”

“Baekhyun, you’re sounding like Chanyeol,” Jongdae tells his friend. 

“He sounds nothing like me!” Chanyeol protests, arms folding. “My voice is so much more manly.”

“I have a perfectly masculine voice,” Baekhyun says, pouting slightly at Chanyeol. 

“You wear eyeliner and have a high voice,” Chanyeol says, smirking. “You’re practically radiating estrogen.”

“At least my face isn’t a perpetual fail,” Baekhyun counters.

“My face is flawless.”

“It defies socially acceptable expressions.”

“I have great expressions!”

“For a circus!”

“I don’t know what we’re yelling about!” Jongin suddenly hollers and they all dissolve into laughter. 

By the end of whatever the hell was in the drink Yifan made for him, Jongdae is feeling his head very acutely and can’t really move his fingers that well. Whatever the hell Yifan had put in that drink, Jongin’s name for it suits it perfectly. The table has dissolved into random conversations about pretty much nothing and lots of incoherency. Jongdae, after having a rather animated dispute about the merits of coffee with Sehun, is distracted when the previously quiet music that had been washing over them is suddenly replaced by much louder stuff with hard bass and a definite tempo. 

_“Dancing time!”_ Jongin yells from where he is sprawled on Kyungsoo (the other boy gave up trying to shove the younger off him a while ago) and waves his arms happily.  
Sehun begins to shove at Chanyeol. “Move, you giant pole,” the younger says. “I want out.”

Chanyeol just looks at Sehun as the younger tries and fails to move him. “If you get out and start dancing, you will be the only one and everyone will stare and laugh.”

“At least I’ll be enjoying myself,” Sehun says, shoving with his shoulder.

 _“No!”_ Baekhyun says loudly. “No enjoying ourselves. Strictly forbidden!”

“Stop trying to be an adult, you’re not!” Jongin says. “Chanyeol, go away! You’re stopping the fun parade!” And suddenly he’s climbing over Kyungsoo and practically sitting on Sehun and the two of them finally manage to shove Chanyeol out of the seat. “Now, all of you, up and butts out here,” Jongin demands of the three still sitting. “Or do I have to come get you?”

At the devious look on Jongin’s face, Kyungsoo, Baekhyun, and Jongdae slide from their seats to stand. 

“Now, we dance!” Jongin declares, fist in the air as he immediately turns towards the bar.

Sehun’s face falls dramatically. “How is this dancing?”

Jongin snorts. “No one else is dancing. We’ll look like idiots. Solution, alcohol. Then drag people from the bar to the floor. Problem solved!”

“You know, sometimes his logic does make sense,” Chanyeol says, nodding as he follows the tanned boy to the bar. 

“No, it doesn’t,” Kyungsoo says, giving Chanyeol a look.

“It does to my brain!” Chanyeol says, grinning too widely.

“Oh God, you’re all here,” Lu Han says, looking up at the group as they arrive at the bar. He says something Jongdae is pretty sure is insulting or profanity in Mandarin before calling  
for something that sounds like “Yeeshing.” It turns out to be a person as a man with a shock of black hair hustles over to Lu Han and, after brief instructions, begins on the drinks Lu Han had been preparing. “What do you want, then go away.”

“We’re socializing,” Kyungsoo says, sitting down at a barstool. 

“We’re visiting you,” Sehun says, smiling.

“Bothering,” Lu Han says, smiling despite the biting comment. “I think that’s the correct word. Shots?”

 _“Everybody!”_ Jongin half yells in imitation of Lil’ Wayne and Lu Han shakes his head, quickly grabbing shot glasses and pouring something that looks like tequila. “There, now disappear.” And he’s turned away from them and taking more drink orders from a group of pretty girls. 

Baekhyun is grabbing the shot glasses and distributing them among the group. As soon as they’re all being held, he grins and yells “Bottoms up!” slinging his own share of alcohol down his throat. 

They linger at the bar for a while, the alcohol fuzzing their senses and laughing a bit too loud until Jongin and Sehun, having been engaging a few random people in conversation, suddenly disappear and reappear on the slowly filling dance floor moments later. In just a few moments, Baekhyun and Chanyeol join them while Kyungsoo sags against the bar counter.

“That didn’t take long,” a voice says beside Jongdae and he turns to find Yifan leaning with his back to the bar next to him. 

“What didn’t?” Jongdae asks as Yifan looks at him.

“Them migrating to the dance floor,” Yifan says, nodding to the group dancing in varying degrees of success. He eyes the group for a moment before adding, “They’re not… bad.”

Jongdae snorts. “Really? Are you looking at Jongin or Chanyeol?”

“Which one is which?” Yifan asks, frowning slightly. 

“Jongin is the tan one who moves like water and Chanyeol is the one who looks like he has too many limbs.”

Yifan nods. “Jongin can dance well. Chanyeol...”

“Looks like a dying giraffe,” Jongdae finishes.

“It suits him,” Yifan says, his eyes crinkling slightly. “Do you dance?”

Jongdae chews his lip. “Sometimes,” he says. “Thanks for the drink, by the way.”

Yifan raises an eyebrow. “Did you like it?”

“Yeah,” Jongdae says, nodding and quickly stopping when the world tilts a little too much for his comfort. “Though I’m not sure if you were being nice or trying to kill me.” Yifan just smiles at him. “Aren’t you busy?” 

“Technically, yes,” Yifan says. “But I own the place, and I can spend my time talking with people if I want to. My job has perks.” Jongdae nods at the explanation. “Plus, I like your group. I don’t get much chance to stretch my Korean language skills, and you guys are a surprisingly nice bunch. Usually it’s high pitched giggling girls who can’t hold a real conversation to save their lives.”

Jongdae snorts, and looks back at the dance floor.

“You should join them,” Yifan says. “You look like you want to.”

“I’m not entirely sure I want to embarrass myself just yet,” Jongdae says, fiddling with the hem of his shirt.

“You sang a song to Tao about an hour ago,” Yifan says, and there’s a definite amused edge to his tone. “How can you embarrass yourself more than that?” Jongdae immediately feels his face go red. “It’s was cute though.” Jongdae doesn’t say anything. Can’t say anything. He and Yifan stand in silence for a few moments. “He’s a good kid. Tao, I mean,” Yifan says, breaking the silence. “Don’t go thinking just because his face can look like he’s Death that he’s not the sweetest little dork in the world.”

“I didn’t think he was Death,” Jongdae says, laughing a little. 

Yifan is grinning now. “Oh, I could see that.” And Jongdae’s face heats up again. “He gets off work around 11,” he says casually, arms crossing over his chest. “I usually try to let him go early so he can get some sleep before morning classes.”

Jongdae raises his eyebrows. “He’s still a student?”

Yifan nods. “Yeah, studying History when he’s not off doing martial arts competitions. This is just his way of making money to help pay tuition.” He looks at Jongdae from the corner of his eyes. “He’s been pestering me to teach him Korean phrases all night, too.”

Jongdae says nothing, just turns to look back at the dance floor. Yifan pushes himself off the bar and walks around Jongdae. He pauses briefly, just in front of Jongdae. “Go dance, you look like you need to.”

Jongdae sits and thinks for a minute before pushing himself off his chair and wandering towards the dance floor. 

“Where are you going?” Kyungsoo calls after him.

“To make an idiot of myself,” Jongdae says, not turning around as he pushes his way through the crowd to the others. He manages to find his friends without too much difficulty (they had managed to earn themselves some space, or rather Chanyeol and Jongin had managed to earn them space. Jongin from his superior dancing hips and Chanyeol because his arms and limbs were dangerously being flung about in what Jongdae is sure Chanyeol considers dancing). They all cheer happily upon seeing Jongdae and before he knows it, Sehun and Baekhyun are grabbing him to join them and he’s dancing and forgetting why he hates this activity.

The music is loud, the room is dark and hot, and there are progressively more and more people bumping into each other on the dance floor and Jongdae has forgotten to care anymore. His life recently has been so ruled by deadlines, appointments, exams, and designs that he had just begun to forget what letting go feels like. He doesn’t know how long he is dancing, or when Jongin and Sehun and Chanyeol disappeared, nor where to. 

All he knows is that suddenly Baekhyun is smiling at something behind him and there is a gentle hand on his shoulder. Jongdae turns, eyes slightly wide and comes face to face with Tao. Tao is smiling brightly in the gloom and standing very close. His hair is slightly matted (and Jongdae thinks his probably is too at this point) and there is a light dusting of pink on his high cheekbones. 

“Dance?” Tao asks and Jongdae nods and moves before his brain has processed the question. 

Tao moves with the same fluidity that he had when he had been performing his martial arts and it’s just as beautiful and captivating. His hands, soft despite their callouses, occasionally brush against Jongdae’s and where their skin meets he can feel a slight tingling. Now close, Jongdae can very faintly smell something that reminds him of cinnamon and sandalwood. An odd combination but still pleasant. 

Jongdae doesn't know how long they dance like that, how many songs pass before Tao shifts, pressing just a bit closer and gently taking both of his hands in his. Jongdae can faintly feel his stomach and heart jump together and can hear his own blood pounding in his ears along with the bass.

Jongdae really has been out of it for a while, when a simple touch can get his stomach clenching violently.

Gently, Tao pulls the two of them together so they’re dancing and swaying to the music and rhythms only a hands-width apart, Tao’s head dropping slightly and angled so that they barely touch, side by side. He says, voice low and gently puffing against Jongdae’s ear “Chen dance good” and Jongdae feels himself take in a short unexpected breath. Then Tao is pulling back slightly and smiling at him and Jongdae feels much too light. 

“Thanks,” Jongdae says, hating how breathless he feels. “Tao also dances really well.”

Tao continues to smile at him and squeezes his hands slightly, head dropping slightly to just barely touch Jongdae’s. There’s a small part of Jongdae that thinks this is completely ridiculous. However, that part is largely drowned out by the much larger part of his brain which is just repeating over and over how ridiculously good it feels to have his hands held and be looked at with eyes like that. 

“Chen likes China?” Tao asks, eyebrows raising slightly. 

Jongdae finds himself laughing slightly before nodding, biting his lip. “Yes, Chen likes China.”

Tao smiles and just barely rests his forehead against Jongdae’s. “Good,” he says and the word ghosts over Jongdae’s mouth and he feels entirely too hot in his skin. “Chen red,” he says and in the moment it takes Jongdae to realize Tao is talking about the flush covering his cheeks, Tao is grinning at him and is lightly squeezing his hands again. “Cute.”

Jongdae doesn’t care that Tao can’t speak in more than three word sentences. He doesn’t care that he’s in China and dancing with what would normally be considered a complete stranger. He doesn’t care that he can’t speak Chinese or Mandarin or whatever. 

Jongdae doesn’t care and just closes his eyes as he leans in and tentatively presses himself into Tao, his breath catching slightly as Tao stills slightly. And then Tao’s hands release his and there is brief moment of panic before arms wrap around him gently and hands fall easily to rest at his waist and he can feel Tao’s face rest softly next to his and the other is moving again. 

The shift of hips is slower than the beat of music but neither really care, instead moving to their own tempo against everyone else and Jongdae just breathes and basks in the feeling of being wanted and held. 

It’s heart-breakingly nice.

As the music picks up, a harder beat pounding into the walls and floor and Jongdae’s bones, he feels Tao’s movements speed up slightly and unconsciously follows, moving back and Tao lets him, breath ruffling against his hair as he pulls away. 

Tao’s face is slightly flushed and his hands rest pleasantly on Jongdae’s waist and Jongdae finds his own are resting on Tao’s lower back and it seems perfectly natural to lean in and press his face into Tao’s collarbones, mouth parted and breathing slightly accelerated because he has no idea what he’s feeling and doesn’t want to stop and try to figure it out. 

Jongdae just wants to feel and not think.

Tao moves easily and it’s easy to respond to and his hands never stray, moving up or down or compromising and it’s just comfortable and he smells entirely too pleasant to be allowed, black shirt sticking in places Jongdae can see and feel. His hair tickles as it brushes against Jongdae’s face, his ears, and his breath is ghosting over the exposed skin of Jongdae’s neck and he can feel his skin heat up and burn.

Then Tao is pulling away and Jongdae looks up at him in question. Tao stops moving and seems to just breathe. Jongdae feels lost before Tao takes his hands in his own. “Talk?” Tao asks, with a slight jerk of his head towards the door. 

“Uuh,” Jongdae says. A large part of him screams yes. But there is a small part of him that holds back. He is in China, where he knows no one but his friends, and technically they have no idea where they are. And he’s with what could technically be a stranger. Jongin’s voice comes back to him. 

“We’re lost. In China. Probably going to be mugged and thrown into a ditch to rot with flies.”

Jongdae briefly looks around and sees Baekhyun a few people away. As if sensing his look, Baekhyun looks over at him and grins entirely too widely. “I’m being asked to talk outside,” Jongdae yells over at him as Tao watches him.

Baekhyun’s eyebrows raise. “And?” he yells back. “What’s the problem?”

“Um,” Jongdae says, feeling awkward and increasingly aware of how his hands are currently being held by Tao. This fact becoming especially obvious as one of Tao’s thumbs begins to rub gently over the skin of his left hand. “We’re in China and I technically don’t know him.”

“Oh, for the love of-“ Baekhyun says, rolling his eyes. “Dude, just got outside and get some air. I’ll come out in five minutes and if you’re not there, I’ll alert the embassy.”

Jongdae frowns. “Is that supposed to make me feel better?” he asks.

 _“Go!”_ Baekhyun yells.

Jongdae looks back at Tao. “Safe?” he asks and Tao looks at him strangely. “You” he points at Tao “not bad?”

Tao laughs. “Tao good,” he says, though, Jongdae thinks, a serial killer would never tell you outright they wanted to kill you. It would, though honest, be a rather foolish thing to do. And so Jongdae nods once and suddenly Tao is dragging him from the dance floor and towards the door, saying something briefly to Yifan who nods to him and then smiles at Jongdae before he’s pulled outside and Tao is breathing happily in the much cooler night air. 

He turns to Jongdae and Jongdae finds himself laughing at the happy expression on the Chinese boy’s face. “Tao is happy?”

Tao uses the hand still holding Jongdae’s to pull the other boy to him, smiling softly. “Tao happy,” he says and Jongdae forgets to care as the taller presses his mouth gently to the skin of his forehead, eyes falling closed as a smile finds it way across his face, his heart thumping happily in his chest.

Tao draws back and looks at Jongdae as his eyes flutter open again. “Chen happy?”

Jongdae nods, smile still on his lips. “Yes,” he says and feels Tao’s fingers lace with his. “Chen is happy.”


End file.
